RAMALLAH, Odal Mousa, 34, from the Bethlehem area town of al-Khader, has been on hunger strike for the 34th day in protest against his administrative detention in Israel and demanding his freedom.

Hasan Abed Rabbo, spokesman for the Prisoners Affairs Commission, told WAFA today that Mousa is being kept in solitary confinement as a punishment to break him in order to end his hunger strike.

Yet, he added, Mousa insists on ending his illegal administrative detention before ending his fast.

Mousa went on hunger strike a day after his arrest on August 7 and was slammed with a three-month administrative detention order that is usually extended indefinitely.

Mousa’s brother, Ahmad, 44, was also on hunger strike in protest against his administrative detention but called it off on Thursday after 31 days of fast after Israel agreed not to renew his four-month administrative detention order when it expires on December 6.

Meanwhile, another Palestinian prisoner in Israel, Jawad Jawarish, 41, from Bethlehem, has been on hunger strike for the ninth day in a row demanding to be united with his two detained brothers Abdullah and Orabi, according to the Palestinian Prisoner Society (PPS).

It said Jawarish was arrested in 2002 and sentenced to life in prison. He is married with two daughters, one of them was eight months old when he was arrested. Both of his brothers were not allowed to visit him in prison under the claim of a security ban.

However, with both now in detention, Jawarish is demanding to meet with them after all these years of not being able to see them.

(Update: The PPS said later tonight that Jawarish suspended his hunger strike after the Israel Prison Services agreed to have him meet with his two brothers – one in administrative detention and the other is still in detention.)

Source: Palestine News & Info Agency